1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to video cassette recorder systems and particularly to the timer preprogramming feature of video cassette recorders (VCRs) and to an apparatus and method for using encoded information to shorten the time required to perform timer preprogramming and also an apparatus and method for enabling a user to selectively record, for later viewing, detailed information that is associated with an earlier publication or broadcast of an advertisement.
2. Prior Art
The video cassette recorder (VCR) has a number of uses, including playing back of tapes filmed by a video camera, playing back of pre-recorded tapes, and recording and playing back of broadcast and cable television programs.
To record a television program in advance of viewing it, a two-step process is often used: (1) obtain the correct channel, date, time and length (CDTL) information from a television program guide, and (2) program this CDTL information into the VCR. Depending on the model, year and type of the VCR, the CDTL information can be programmed in various ways including: (i) pushing an appropriate sequence of keys in the console according to instructions contained in the user""s manual, (ii) pushing an appropriate sequence of keys in a remote hand-held control unit according to instructions contained in the user""s manual (remote programming), and (iii) executing a series of keystrokes in the remote hand-held control unit in response to a menu displayed on the television screen (on-screen programming). Other techniques for timer preprogramming have been suggested including: (iv) reading in certain bar-code information using a light pen (light pen programming), and (v) entering instructions through a computer or telephone modem. These various methods differ only in the physical means of specifying the information while the contents, being CDTL and certain power/clock/timer on-off commands are generally common although the detailed protocol can vary with different model VCRs. Methods (i) and (ii) described above can require up to 100 keystrokes, which has inhibited the free use of the timer preprogramming feature of VCRs. To alleviate this, new VCR models have included an xe2x80x9cOn-Screen Programmingxe2x80x9d feature, which permits remote input of CDTL information in response to a menu displayed on the television screen. Generally on screen programming of CDTL information requires an average of about 18 keystrokes, which is less than some of the prior methods but still rather substantial. Some of the other techniques such as (iv) above, require the use of special equipment such as a bar code reader.
In general the present state of the art suffers from a number of drawbacks. First, the procedure for setting the VCR to record in advance can be quite complex and confusing and difficult to learn; in fact, because of this many VCR owners shun using the timer preprogramming record feature. Second, the transcription of the CDTL information to the VCR is hardly ever error-free; in fact, many users of VCR""s timer preprogramming features express concern over the high incidence of programming errors. Third, even for experienced users, the process of entering a lengthy sequence of information on the channel, date, time and length of desired program can become tedious. Fourth, techniques such as reading in bar-code information or using a computer require special equipment. These drawbacks have created a serious impedance in the use of a VCR as a recording device for television programs. The effect is that time shifting of programs has not become as popular as it once was thought it would be. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simpler system for effecting VCR timer preprogramming which will enable a user to take advantage of the recording feature of a VCR more fully and freely.
The prior art in the area of enabling a user to selectively record for later viewing, detailed information associated with an advertisement is the familiar advertisement by a network during a television channel commercial break that there will be xe2x80x9cnews at 11xe2x80x9d or that there will be an xe2x80x9cinterview with the winning coach at 9xe2x80x9d. A viewer watching the channel that sees/hears this announcement could preprogram his VCR to record the xe2x80x9cnewsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cinterviewxe2x80x9d at the appropriate time. Thus, the concept of having a cue broadcast simultaneously with a advertisement that alerts a user that supplemental information regarding the advertisement will be broadcast at a later time can be implemented easily with standard apparatus such as a television and a VCR and is not new to the state of the art. The user could also be informed of an xe2x80x9cinterview with the winning coachxe2x80x9d through print advertisement, which would indicate the channel time and date of the the interview. When the user is informed either through a broadcast or a printed advertisement that a winning team""s coach will be interviewed later that day, the viewer uses his standard remote controller to program his VCR to automatically record this later program. The VCR stores the schedule information from the controller and, via its display panel, provides acknowledgment to the user of his programming commands.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,455 for a System and Process for VCR Scheduling discloses a television broadcast system in which a cue is broadcast and displayed simultaneously with a primary program. The cue alerts a user that supplemental information regarding the primary program will be broadcast at a later time. If the user responds to the cue via a remote controller, then data embedded in the primary program broadcast during the video blanking interval segment of the video signal, but not visible to the viewer, will be automatically stored and interpreted by a microprocessor and used to control a VCR to record the supplemental broadcast at the later time. Young does not contemplate the use of printed media at all and requires that a special unit be associated with the television receiver to store and interpret the data embedded in the primary program broadcast, and also to respond to the user cue, for the system to work at all, even for television advertisements, as shown in elements 4, 5, 9, 10, and 15 of FIG. 1, of U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,455.
A principal object of the invention is to provide an improved system for the selection and entering of channel, date, time and length (CDTL) information required for timer preprogramming of a VCR which is substantially simpler, faster and less error-prone than present techniques. Another principal object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for enabling a user to selectively record, for later viewing, detailed information that is associated with an earlier publication or broadcast of an advertisement.
In accordance with the invention, to program the timer preprogramming feature of a video system, there is an apparatus and method for using encoded video recorder/player timer preprogramming information. The purpose is to significantly reduce the number of keystrokes required to set up the timer preprogramming feature on a VCR. In accordance with this invention it is only necessary for the user to enter a code with 1 to 7 digits or more into the VCR. This can be done either remotely or locally at the VCR. Built into either the remote controller or the VCR is a decoding means which automatically converts the code into the proper CDTL programming information and activates the VCR to record a given television program with the corresponding channel, date, time and length. Generally multiple codes can be entered at one time for multiple program selections. The code can be printed in a television program guide in advance and selected for use with a VCR or remote controller with the decoding means.
Another principal object of the invention is to enable a user to selectively record information designated by a digital code, which would be associated with an advertisement. The advertisement could be print advertisement or a broadcast advertisement on television or radio. The additional information could be broadcast on a television channel early in the morning, for example, between midnite and six o""clock in the morning, when the broadcast rates are low and it is economical to broadcast detailed information or advertisements of many items, especially expensive ones, such as automobiles and real estate. In accordance with this invention it is only necessary for the user to enter a digital compressed code associated with an advertisement into a unit with a decoding means which automatically converts the code into CTL (channel, time and length). The unit activates a VCR to record information on the television channel starting at the right time and recording for the proper length of time. The information will be recorded within the next twenty four hours so it is not necessary to decode any date. The user can then view this information at his/her leisure.
Other objects and many of the attendant features of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed descriptions and considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference symbols designate like parts throughout the figures.